DEFORMATIONS OF EXTENDED OBJECTS WITH EDGES

We present a manifestly gauge covariant description of fluctuations of a relativistic extended object described by the Dirac-Nambu-Goto acti on with Dirac-Nambu-Goto loaded edges about a given classical solution . Whereas physical fluctuations of the bulk lie normal to its worldshe et, those on the edge possess an additional component directed into th e bulk. These fluctuations couple in a nontrivial way involving the un derlying geometrical structures associated with the worldsheet of the object and of its edge. We illustrate the formalism using as an exampl e a string with massive point particles attached to its ends.